


In the Hot Spring

by eveningsoother (WhichWolfWins)



Category: Arthurian Mythology & Related Fandoms, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Apologies, Bathing/Washing, Camping, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, Merlin and Arthur being their usual selves, Mostly Fluff, Mostly Smut, PWP, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-06
Updated: 2014-03-06
Packaged: 2018-01-14 18:34:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1276585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhichWolfWins/pseuds/eveningsoother
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Merlin and Arthur have their horses stolen, they're forced to spend the night in the woods, which puts Arthur in a bad mood. Of course, he takes it out on his manservant, but Merlin's not going to put up with it. Feeling guilty, Arthur goes after Merlin to apologize.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Hot Spring

**Author's Note:**

> It occurred to me that it's been too long since I last wrote Merlin and Arthur, so I wrote this to make it up to myself.

Arthur sighed heavily and started shifting restlessly behind Merlin again, turning all the way around until he was tucked up close to Merlin with his knees right behind his servant’s. Annoyed, Merlin glared at the space beside them where a fire would normally be burning as Arthur huffed into Merlin’s hair and went still again.

If it wasn’t freezing cold outside, Merlin would be laying on the other side of the forest floor, as far away from his royal pratness as possible, but no. They couldn’t start a fire and risk drawing attention to themselves, so they were exposed to the cold night air and the only source of warmth they had was each other. On any other day, Merlin would be please by that fact, but not tonight. 

They’d gone out on one of their usual hunts in the forest. Since it was such a beautiful day, they’d strayed further than usual, enjoying the sun’s warmth and each other’s company and altogether losing track of time. Once they realized how far they’d travelled, they started to turn back, but then the sobs of a young girl made them come to a stop. 

They went to investigate the cries and were stooped down, checking on the girl, when a sound from behind caught their attention and they turned to watch as a pair of thieves rode off on their horses with all of their supplies. By the time they looked back, the girl had gone, too. 

Immediately upon realizing the situation they were in, Arthur lost the good mood he’d been in all day and took his frustrations out on Merlin. Without their horses, the trip back was a day’s travel, so they were forced to settle in for a cold, hungry night and Merlin hadn’t heard the end of Arthur’s complaints since. 

Merlin didn’t even have to wait a minute for Arthur to start moving around again. This time, he managed to jab Merlin in the ribs when he flipped over and Merlin grunted in pain. When he realized the prince wasn’t even going to apologize, Merlin sat up and grabbed his knapsack, which he’d fortunately had on his shoulder in case the girl required first aid. 

Merlin had had enough of Arthur’s bad mood. He stood up and paused long enough to inform Arthur of he was going for a wash, then he marched toward the trees. 

“Good,” he heard Arthur say. “You’re starting to smell a bit ripe, Merlin.” 

Merlin paused, tempted to turn around and lash out at the prince, but he bit his tongue instead of saying something he would regret. He just kept glaring ahead and went in the direction of the spring he’d seen on their way out. When he found it, Merlin dipped his hand into the water and shivered at how cold it was. Glancing over his shoulder, Merlin waved his hand over the water and heated it to just the right steaming temperature. 

Satisfied, Merlin stripped himself of his clothes and tucked the pile near a rock, then he hastily returned to the water hole, shivering in the crisp cold, and sank into the hot water. He moaned as the heat instantly warmed his goose-pimpled skin and laid his head back on the forest floor to get comfortable for a long bath. 

Merlin looked up at the night sky. It was dark and clear above him, allowing the pinpoints of stars to shine bright. They twinkled, dazzling, and Merlin smiled at their beauty as he closed his eyes to enjoy the heat of the water. Already, it had eased the cold from his veins and the ache were quickly leaving his muscles. He was just drifting off when he heard the snap of a twig and sat bolt upright to whirl around. 

“It’s only me,” Arthur said, stepping out of the darkness into the moonlight. “I was checking to make sure you were still here.” 

Frowning, Merlin turned away and laid back again, closing his eyes to show his disinterest. 

Arthur sighed and came closer to the spring. His books scuffed on the dirt as he came to a stop. “Is that… is that steam? The water’s warm?” he asked, excited. 

Merlin opened his eyes quickly, just as Arthur dipped his hand into the water. The prince’s eyes wide and bright with pleasure. “A hot spring, Merlin? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Merlin rolled his eyes up to look at Arthur sardonically and the prince huffed a laugh. “I take it you don’t want me to join you.” 

“You would be right,” Merlin mumbled darkly. 

“Well too bad.” 

Merlin looked back and Arthur grinned at him as he started to peel off his clothes. As always, Merlin was instantly entranced by the sight of Artur’s bare skin and the way Arthur’s toned muscles flexed under the moonlight. The constant activity Arthur put his body through showed in the strength of his shoulders and chest, making him thick and sturdy where Merlin was thin and awkward. Merlin had seen Arthur’s body many times, dressing it every day when really he wished it never to be covered again. More and more he found his eyes straying passed the safety of the prince’s muscular torso to places that heated his cheeks and made his mouth dry with want. 

The water sloshed as Arthur slipped in with him and Merlin snapped out of his daze. He sat up a little straighter to prevent their legs from getting tangled together and studied Arthur’s face questioningly as the prince settled into the warm spring water beside him. 

“I could still go, if that’s what you want,” Merlin told him, still feeling smarted by Arthur’s treatment of him earlier. It wasn’t as if it was his fault they had had a run in with a group of thieves. 

“Oh Merlin,” Arthur sighed, tipping his head back and looking up at the stars. “You may not believe this, but I do enjoy your company.” 

The prince’s unexpected words took Merlin by surprise and he couldn’t help but smile. “Really?” he beamed at Arthur. 

“Sometimes,” Arthur corrected quickly. “Not often.” 

Merlin pressed his lips together, smothering his smile. 

“You know I’m kidding,” Arthur said, prodding Merlin with his foot under the water. 

Their vicinity to each other struck Merlin as the prince’s knee brushed against Merlin’s. He quickly searched for something other than Arthur’s touch to occupy his mind and settled for carefully reheating the water. The conversation drifted away after that and the sound of wind rustling quietly through the trees filled the silence. 

“Merlin,” Arthur said, surprising the manservant into opening his eyes again. Arthur was watching him carefully. “I’m… sorry if I’ve made you feel unwanted. I really do enjoy spending time with you.” 

A laugh burst from Merlin’s mouth. “You have a good way of showing it,” he said in a sarcastic tone. 

Arthur shifted in the water, his leg gliding fully against Merlin’s as he got comfortable. “How would you have me show you?” 

The thought that immediately came to mind made Merlin blush and he looked at the surface of the water instead of the prince’s face. It began to ripple against him as Arthur moved even closer to him in the spring. Merlin looked up into Arthur’s searching face as his dripping hand came up to cup Merlin’s cheek. 

Disbelieving of the situation he suddenly found himself in, Merlin held the prince’s gaze as he leaned into the touch, as if Arthur might disappear if he were to look away, even for just a moment. 

Arthur’s other hand came up to frame Merlin’s face and the prince leaned in to brush his soft lips against Merlin’s. The manservant held his breath, stunned into silence. He’d yearned for this for so long, believing the likelihood of it ever happening to be an impossibility, and now the prince was holding him close, his breath dancing upon Merlin’s damp lips as he pulled away to study his face. 

Merlin blinked at Arthur and licked his lips, tasting Arthur there. Arthur’s dark eyes followed the path of Merlin’s tongue and his eyes barely flickered up to meet Merlin’s again before he was diving back in to capture Merlin’s lips with his. Merlin clung to Arthur as the prince kissed him hungrily, his hands slipping down Merlin’s bare back to hold him with his broad fingers spread to keep him braced in place. 

“Arthur,” Merlin breathed as the prince kissed down his neck to suck gently at his adam’s apple. He moaned as Arthur’s hot tongue laved at his skin and dug his fingers into the prince’s muscular back. “Yes. Please.” 

Arthur hands glided down Merlin’s back and passed over his arse with a gentle tease of his fingers between the crack before he gripped Merlin’s thighs and hoisted his legs up around Arthur’s waist. The manservant’s cock was already hard and Arthur pressed Merlin up against the wall of dirt to reach between them and take hold of it. 

“Ah!” Merlin gasped, dropping his head back as Arthur teased the head of his cock with his fingertips. 

“Is this what you want, Merlin?” Arthur asked, running his free hand over Merlin’s flat stomach to reach around him and slide his hand back down to Merlin’s arse. 

“Mhm!” Merlin pleaded as Arthur massaged his arse cheeks. “Yes!” 

Satisfied with that answer, Arthur brought both of their heated cocks together in his hand and began to stroke them at a teasing pace. Merlin bumped his face against the top of Arthur’s bent head to make Arthur look up, then the manservant’s long fingers tilted his head up even further so Merlin could cover Arthur’s mouth with his. He kissed the prince hungrily, making needy little sounds as he started to roll his hips. His breaths hitched as Arthur’s gripped tightened and he began to stroke them faster, stoking the fire growing in Merlin’s belly. 

Merlin thrusted his thin hips and tightened his legs around Arthur as he leaned back against the slick dirt wall for support. He slid his fingers up into Arthur’s shiny blond hair to bring his mouth close enough to kiss. 

“Merlin,” Arthur breathed against Merlin’s mouth, his heart racing. “Come on, come on,” he urged, thrusting his cock against Merlin’s. His orgasm was close, but he wanted to see his manservant come first, knowing Merlin’s pleasure would make his that much better. He tangled his tongue with Merlin’s and redoubled his efforts, making his manservant whimper. 

“Arthur!” Merlin cried out as the pleasure coursing through his body finally surged into sparks and come. He clutched at Arthur as he spilled between them, his body arching toward Arthur as he was overcome. 

When the crashing waves of pleasure finally receded, Merlin loosened his grip on Arthur a little and looked up at the prince with a grin, laughing. 

Merlin’s hand quickly covered Arthur’s on the prince’s aching cock and he watched the prince’s face as he teased the leaking head with his thumb. Arthur jolted and gasped and Merlin quickly captured the sound with a kiss. He held onto Arthur as the prince shuddered through his orgasm and was still smiling when Arthur slumped tiredly against him. 

He brushed Arthur’s damp hair away from his forehead and pressed a long, gentle kiss against the prince’s brow. “You should show me your appreciation more often,” he laughed. 

Arthur looked up at him with heavy eyelids and an unresisting smile. “Maybe if you did things when I told you to, I would.” 

Merlin opened his mouth to retort, which made Arthur laugh. Put out, Merlin tried to frown at him, but he failed miserably because he was just too happy, so he splashed the prince instead and quickly scrambled out of the water to make off with the prince’s clothes.

**Author's Note:**

> Of course I would love to hear what you think of this!
> 
> If you would like to follow me on tumblr, I can be found [here](http://whichwolfwins.tumblr.com/)! :)


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